A zein for Utah.

Senator Orrin Hatch2017-06-22 18:21:37

Friend,
Today we made a powerful statement to Utah and the Nation: Â increasing premiums, unaffordable health care, and regulatory red-tape should not be the standard of health care in this country.Â
For the past seven years, Obamacareâ€™s high costs and burdensome mandates have had devastating effects on the American economy, small businesses, and middle-class families trying to find affordable, quality care. Today, after years of discussion and countless hearings, Senate Republicans are putting forth solutions to rescue the American people from this devastating law. The discussion draft released this afternoon is an important step in our effort to replace Obamacare with patient-centered reforms that address costs, provide more choices, and ultimately put Americansâ€”not Washingtonâ€”back in charge of their healthcare.

Friend,

Today we made a powerful statement to Utah and
the Nation: Â increasing premiums,
unaffordable health care, and regulatory red-tape
should not be the standard of health care in this
country.
Â

For the past seven years, Obamacareâ€™s
high costs and burdensome mandates have had
devastating effects on the American economy,
small businesses, and middle-class families
trying to find affordable, quality care. Today,
after years of discussion and countless hearings,
Senate Republicans are putting forth solutions to
rescue the American people from this devastating
law. The discussion draft released this afternoon
is an important step in our effort to replace
Obamacare with patient-centered reforms that
address costs, provide more choices, and
ultimately put Americansâ€”not
Washingtonâ€”back in charge of their
healthcare.

The Better Care Reconciliation Act maintains
protections for those with pre-existing
conditions. It repeals the burdensome individual
and employer mandates, gets rid of the Obamacare
taxes, and helps to stabilize collapsing
insurance marketsâ€”all to make health
insurance more affordable. The proposal
strengthens Medicaid, giving states greater
flexibility to implement healthcare programs that
best meet their needs. These much-needed reforms
also level the playing field between expansion
and non-expansion states. The Republican plan
further preserves coverage for children with
disabilities and individuals with substance use
disorders and mental illness. And importantly, it
leaves Medicare benefits untouched. As the Senate
debates the discussion draft put forward today, I
will continue to review this proposal and work
with my colleagues to provide better care for all
Americans.Â

As Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee,
which has jurisdiction over healthcare issues, I
fought hard to secure a number of key victories
for Utah, including:

A stabilized insurance market that will
provide for more options and lower
premiums

Continued coverage for Utahns with
preexisting conditions

Continued coverage for dependents until age
26

Special coverage for children with
disabilities that have high medical costs

Preventative health benefits for children
throughout the bill

Increased state flexibility to care for
people with mental health and substance use
disorders

New flexibilities for hospitals and funding
to care for poor Utahns

Most important, the bill repeals Obamacare,
which has raised healthcare premiums in Utah an
average of 30 percent and limited Utahns in a
majority of counties to just one insurance
provider. President Obamaâ€™s disastrous
healthcare program has also reduced quality of
life in our state and increased out-of-pocket
expenses. In response, the Republican plan seeks
to lower costs and increase flexibility, giving
Utahns more freedom to spend their hard-earned
income. It also repeals Obamacare taxes and the
individual mandate, empowering states to tailor
programs to meet their needs instead of forcing
them to accept a one-size-fits-all government
plan.

For more details on the bill released today
and what it means for Utah, click
here.Â

Know that I will continue fighting to ensure
that Utahns have access to the healthcare they
need at a cost they can afford.